What qualifies as "marriage certificate" for initial filing of spousal visa?

[ILoveAsawaKo 0]

I can't seem to get a straight answer on this from anyone about a spousal visa. We don't need the NSO marriage certificate yet, we are doing the initial filing first. And for the filing it simply says it needs a copy of your marriage certificate from your local registry.

The only copy my wife has is a copy of the papers we each signed at the ceremony itself. Its reddish/pink. Two lawyers have told me that will work fine for the initial filing. And some have confirmed that will work. But then others say it won't work and it got them denied (and money lost). They say its the green paper copy from the NSO you need for the initial filing. While others says its the NSO copy you get 6 months from now thats for the initial filing.

This is so confusing. Is there an official list of what/where the need the marriage certificate from?

[apple21 953]

Your wife should get a certified copy of your MC from the local civil registry. You can submit that together with the i-130.

[ILoveAsawaKo 0]

Is the copy she has certified? She said when I left she went to her local civil registry and they gave her a copy (its red colored) of the papers we signed at wedding ceremony The same paper (I think) the principal sponsors signed.

[apple21 953]

That copy, she can keep. Tell her to get another one from the Local Civil Registry. The next copy she'll get will have a stamp that says "Certified True Xerox Copy of the Original" and it will have the stamped seal of the LCR. The REGISTRY NO. part (the one on top of your wife's name) should not be blank. There should be a YEAR and some numbers there.

[ILoveAsawaKo 0]

Wow thanks! That will help. I'll let her know that. Will they LCR have a copy to copy for her? Its been just about two months since the wedding and last time she was there they said the paperwork was sent to the NSO already so they couldn't help her. Maybe they thought she was talking about the NSO copy she needs? I'll tell her to go back and say she needs a certified copy of what she has for a initial filing of a spousal visa.

Edited May 3, 2013 by ILoveAsawaKo

[Bob & Joana 2]

Wow thanks! That will help. I'll let her know that. Will they LCR have a copy to copy for her? Its been just about two months since the wedding and last time she was there they said the paperwork was sent to the NSO already so they couldn't help her. Maybe they thought she was talking about the NSO copy she needs? I'll tell her to go back and say she needs a certified copy of what she has for a initial filing of a spousal visa.

Have her xerox both sides. Then bring it to the LCR along with the original(they may need both so they can verify it is not modified) and ask them to make it certified. They will certify that copy, stamp it, and return it(probably in a few days). Of course they will charge you something for this. I think I paid 85 pesos but im sure this varies from LCR to LCR.

[RitzF2A 1]

Since its been two months already, why dont she check with nso as well? just to verify if its ok to secure a copy already... Who knows a miracle may not be far behind... My hubby and I got married first week of jan, we got our nso copy on the 2nd week of march.

And yes you can use the certified copy from the local civil registrars office. Check my timeline, i got married on jan5, my husband went back to the US on jan8. My pd is jan14. Thats all he has with him...